Flying-machine.



4 A. MJHIRMER.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FlLED MAR-2T, I916.

1,252,904. Patented Jan. 8,1918. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- FIG. 1 4

INVENTOR A. M. HIRMER.

FLYING MACHINE A PPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. l9l6.

Patented Jan. 8,1918.

INVENT OR ANDREW M. HIBMER, 0F MI-LLVALE, EENNSYLV'ANIA.

FLYING-MACHINE.

.fipecifica i n ot Letters Patent.

Patented Janrfi, 191 8.

Application filed March '27, I916. 'fierla'jl' No. 86,932,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW M. 'Hnmma, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Millvale, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flying-Mmchines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,andexact description thereof.

My invention relates to flying-mach nes, and is particularly concernedwith an apparatus of this character in which a buoyant supporting bodyhas combined therewitha plurality of wings to assist the machine inrising, which wings when stationary afford means to permit of soaring,and also gradual and graduated descent. Other ob]ects and advantages ofthe invention will appear from the following description of anembodiment of the apparatus, which s shown in the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is av planview thereof; Fig. 3 s 'a section on the line 3--3, Fig. 1; F1g. 4 is adetail of the manner of hinging one of the wings to the buoyant body;Fig. 5 1s a plan View of one of the wings; Fig. 6 1s a sectional view onthe line 6-6, Fig. 5; Fig.- 7 is a perspective view of the steering appara'tus Fig. 8 is a detail of means for locking the steering apparatus;Fig. 9 IS a further detail of the mounting of the steer ng ap+ P tu s aIn the embodiment of the invention herein selected for'illustr'ation, 1indicates *a buoyant body or gas'bag, which may be of any desiredconstruction and covered with any desired*materialimpervrous to gas.This body or bag ispreferably divided into several compartments bysuitable transverse diaphragniso so 'thatshould one portion'o'f the bagbe perforated, thejentire bag will not lose ,thebuoya-nt gas. At thecenter of the buoyant body 1, a narrow; transverse compartment is formedby means of dis phi-agms-suclr'as 2, w'hoseedgcs i come togethjer, saiddiaphragms being spaced but a fewinches apart so as to permit of themounting of the wing-operating mechan sm between them. As will beseenfrogm Fig. 3,

the edges of these diaphragms are flattened at 4 'topermit'a communicat'ipg space between the gascontai n'ing compartments 3 on either sideof this central mechanism dr m: 5 her. y j

Each of "tlrewings 6 comprises asuita-ble frame or'outline 7 and aplurality of trans verse, rigid ribs 8. The wings are preferably dividedinto two sections, as shown in 'Fig. 5, each section being provided witha hinged lug 9 by which the section may be pivoted 'tothe buoyant bodyby'means of an ear 10 secured to a hoop 11 on the outside of the body,which hoop is reinforced by an inner hoop 12, the hoops having thecovering 13 of the buoyant body between them. The junctions of thesections of each wing are secured to an operating-arm 14, which ispivoted at 15 to an ear 16, secured in the side of the buoyantbody-opposite the space between the two diaphragms 2. The outer endofthis operating-arm 14 may be secured in any desired way to the wing6."

The construction of the wing is of especial importance, and illustratesone of the essential features of the invention. It is necessary thatwhenthese wings are operated by the 'mechanism hereinafter to be de' scribedthat they should olfer little resistance to the air upon their upwardstrokes, but full resistance 11113011 their. downward strokes. T 0 this"end, therefore, the surface or bod of the wings is composed of a d0ubleSEIIES Of flaps. These flaps are made of more or less flexible material,and the flaps of the lower series overlap or break joint with those ofthe upper series. This is clearly illustrated in the wing to the left ofFig. 53, and in the enlarged sectional view, Fig. 6. These .flaps aredesignated at 17. These fla s aresec'ured at oneend as at 18, to one othe ribs .8 of the Wing, the oppo site end of the flap being extended toover.- la-p'the T-head-of the adJacent rib 8. When the wing "is raisedby the actuating mechanism, it will .be seen that the air pressure willforce the flaps down, permitting the air to pass more or less free' lythrough the wing, but the moment the ,wing 'be ins to descend, the flapwill be thrown forcibly up against theT-head of the rib 8, whereby thesurface of the wing will be closed. In order that *thefiexibilityof theflaps will not permit *them to bulge upwardly and permit their"fre'eends to pass from beneath the rib 8, I provide tlrenpper face ofthe wing with supporting "ba'c'k', formed in this case of t-rans' .i'se-19. These wires, as will be seen -"om Fig. 5, extend from one side tothe 'oC-nyr of the wing, and at an incline across-the flaps-so that'eachfiapis support ed tla oughoutatthe median ofits length by one or more ofthese wires. It is to be understood that while I have shown transversewires of this character, the supporting members may be netting or of anyother desired construction. liach of the wings is provided with one ormore struts or tension rods 20 to maintain the proper curvature of thewing. This curvature, by the way, is determined by mathematicalcalculation so that the wing will present the greatest supportingsurface possible at all angles it may assume to the body of theapparatus. Moreover, to overcome the dead weight of the wings, I provideeach with a tension member 21, which s connected by means of a spring 22to a lag or anchor :23 secured to the top of the buoyant body. Thus theweight of the wing is counterbalanced and the actuating mechanism needonly overcome the resistance offered by the atmosphere.

In order to operate these wings as desired, each wing-operating arm isconnected by a linl: 24 to an actuating-rod 25. This rod passes downthrough the lower portion of the buoyant body and connects with a pitman26, which is cranked to a disk 27. This disk is freely mounted on ashaft 28, and has a clutch member 29, adapted to be engaged by a slidingclutch sleeve 30, which through a fulcrum rod 31 pivoted at 32 andprovided with a handle 33 maybe thrown into and out of engagement withthe clutch member 29 of the dish 27. It is to be understood that thesliding clutch 30 is splined on the shaft 28. In order to maintain theclutch members normally in engagement, a spring 34 is providedsurrounding the shaft 28. This mechanism, by the way, is mounted upon asuitable framework 35.

The apparatus is provided with an operators car 36, which is suspendedfro-m the buoyant .bod by strut-rods 37, which are attached to t 1ebuoyant body and the car in any desired manner and form a framework forthe rigidsupport of, the car on the body. This. operators car ispreferably provided with an operators seat 38 in convenient position tocontrol the propelling and steering mechanism of the, device.

In order to propel the apparatus, Ipro vide the usual propeller 39mounted on a shaft 40, the forward end of which shaft has a pinion 41which meshes with a gear 42 on the driving shaft 43 of a suitable motor44. This motor may be electrically operated from a storage battery orfrom a gas motor. The motor, of course, is.c0n trolled in any desiredmanner;

A compact and convenient manner ofopcrating the wings is connected withthis motor in which a gear-45 on the shaft 28 of the wing-actuating disk27 meshes with the same pinion 41that operates the propeller. And by theemployment of the clutch 29, 30, the propeller and wings may besimultaneously operated, or when the clutch is disengaged the propellermay be actuated while the wings remain stationary. Therefore, when theapparatus has reached the desired height, the driving mechanism may beunelutched from the wings and the apparatus permitted to float throughthe atmosphere with the wings affording a further support whilestationary.

In order to guide the apparatus in its flight, I provide it with arudder 46 of any desired construction, such as those well known topersons versed in aviation. This rudder is mounted on a shaft 47, whichis carried in a universal joint support 48 in the forward end of theoperators car. The rear end of the shaft 47 is provided with a steeringwheel 49. It is obvious, therefore, that the rudder may be rotated inany di rection, and also that it may be tilted up and down to determinethe upward or downward course of the machine. In order that the ruddermay be readily held in any of its adjusted positions for upward ordownward flight, I provide a locking rack at the rear end of the shaft47 near the handle 49. This is shown in Fig. 7. A dashboard 50 ismounted transversely of the car in fIOllb of the operators seat. On thisis mounted a square metal frame 51, at one side of which is mounted ashaft 52 journaled in the frame 51, having hinged thereto alocking-plate 53 provided with locking notches 54 adapted to engage theshaft 47. This plate 53 is engaged by a spring 55 to hold it in lockingposition, but said plate is also provided with a treadle 56 by which theoperator may move the plate 53 out of locking position and then raise orlower the steering shaft 47 to any desired extent. The mechanisnr justdescribed enables the operator to hold the steering rudder in anydesired position while his hands are free to manipulate other parts ofthe operating mechanism.

In order to support the apparatus when on the ground, the sameis'provided with a.

pair of running wheels 57, and with a front wheel or pair of wheels 58.To steer the apparatus when on the ground, the front axle is providedwith a shaft 59 by which the axle is pivoted to the car and the upperend of the shaft 59 is provided with a gear 60 meshing with .a secondcar 61 on a steering-rod 62, having a hand e 63 by which the frontwheels may be turned and the vehicle or apparatus steered. I

WVhile I have herein described a particular embodiment of my invention,it is to bev understood that the same may be altered in details andrelative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim is: 1. A flying machine comprising a wingsupporting frame,a plurality of wings hinged thereto, an operators car, and a mo tor insaid car connected with said wings to raise and lower the same to assistin the rising flight of the machine, said wings having valves permittingthe passage of air therethrough on the rising stroke and adapted topresent a closed surface to the air on the downward stroke, said valveseach comprising a plurality of flaps secured at one end of the framemembers of the win 2. A flyin machine comprising a wingsupporting lrame, a plurality of wings hinged thereto, an operators car, and a motorin said car connected with said wings to raise and lower the same toassist. in the rising flight of the machine, said wings having valvespermitting the passage of air therethrough on the rising stroke andadapted to present a closed surface to the air on the downward stroke,said Valves comprising a plurality of superposed layers or flaps whichbreak joint with each other, one end of each of said flaps being securedto the frame members of the wing whereby the free ends of said flaps maybe deflected in permitting passage of air, and means to sustain saidflaps in closed relation upon the descending stroke of the win 3. Aflying machine comprising a wingsupporting frame, a plurality of wingshinged thereto, an operators car, and a motor in said car connected withsaid wings to raise and lower the same to assist in the rising flight ofthe machine, said wings having valves permitting the passage of airthere'through on the rising stroke and adapted to present a closedsurface to the air on the downward stroke, said valves comprising aplurality of superposed layers or flaps which break joint with eachother, one end of each of said flaps being secured to the comprisingtransverse members secured to the wing frame above said flaps andadapteddto engage the flaps intermediate of their en s.

4:. A flying machine comprising a hollow buoyant body divided intoseveral separate compartments whereby when the walls of one compartmentare pierced, the other compartments will retain their buoyant medium tomaintain the machine afloat, a plurality of wings secured to saidbuoyant body, an operators car, a motor therein, an operatingcompartment within said buoyant body and connections between said motorand said wings located within said compartment.

5. A flying machine comprising a hollow buoyant body, a plurality ofwings hinged to said body, an operators car, a motor in said ourconnected to operate said wings, a steering member mounted on said car,a steering shaft extending from said steering member to the operatorsposition within said car, and means to hold said steering shaft indifferent adjusted positions to determine the rising and descendingcourse of said car, said means comprising a hinged plate having anotched edge adapted to engage the steering shaft within the notchesthereof, and a treadle for shifting said plate to release the same fromthe steering shaft.

In testimony whereof, I the said ANDREW M. Humans, have hereunto set myhand.

ANDRPBV M. HIRMER. Witnesses JOHN F. VILL, S. F. ARMSTRONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

